Pbocess of removing solid oils from cans



W. B. FOGH.

PROCESS OF HEMOVING SOLID OILS FROM CANS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, ISIS.

Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

I I L -III A'Paiiaiv'r OFFICE.

WALTER B. FOGII, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

PIROCESS 0F REMOVING SOLID OILS FROM CANS.

Specification of Letters Patent. i Iatelltd Allg. 24;, 1920.

Application filed November 6, 1918. Serial No. 261,434.

To all whom it may conce/rn Be it known that I, IALTER B. Foerr, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Seattle, county of King, and State of IVasliington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Removing Solid Oils from Cans, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of an improved process or method of removing materials which are in a solid or semisolid condition at ncrinal temperatures, from containers. To readily transfer materials of this sortfroin containers to storage tanks or other large containers, it is necessary to first liquefy the same by the application of heat. The object of my invention is to more rapidly secure this liqueication of the product and thereby to more quickly put it in condition such that it may be transferred b y the use of pipes or troughs from one set of containers to another.

The particular steps which constitute my process will be herein described and then defined by the claim.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated an apparatus intended for this purpose.

Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section through an apparatus intended for this purpose.

Fig. same.

l Fig. 3 is a view, showing more in detail, the manner of supporting the small containers and of applying my process to the liquefication and removal of the contents thereof.

2 is a transverse section through the Considerable quantities of products such as described, are shipped in cans from abroad and upon receipt in this country, are removed from these small cans into storage tanks or tankcars, for transportation to points of final use. Such products, of which cocoanut oil is a good illustration, are solid f or semisolid at any ordinary temperatures.

The vmelting and removal of this oil by my process is secured by first heating a portion of such oil until it is in a fluid condition and then discharging this oil in small jets into the semisolid or solid mass of the oil in the containers, from which it is desired to remove it.

It is well known that a liquid jet discharged violently upon any congealed mass,

to melt much more rapidly than may be done by exposing the same to Contact with either hot air or hot liquid. The rapid flow of the liquid over the surface of the congealed mass causes a more rapid transfer of heat between the liquid and the congealed mass and therefore causes a more rapid melting of the latter.

In applying my invention to a product under the conditions named, namely, wherein it is contained within tin cans or like containers, I prefer, as a first or preparatory step, to remove one head end of the can, at least to such an extent as to expose as large aportion of the end surface of the mass as possible. The can 4: illustrated in the d awing is supposed to be a can such as the fivegallon can which is very widely employed for shipment of kerosene oil. These cans, as illustrated, are supposed to have one head end removed.

They are then placed upon supporting bars, as l, which are preferably placed toward the side edges of the head of the can, so as to leave the main body of the can end exposed. To hold this more securely in shape, .guide bars 10 have been shown. These cans a are placed in a chute of this sert and passed through a melting chamber EZ, which chamber consists of a tank which either incloses the entire apparatus, or a ank 3, which is placed` beneath the chutes so as to catch oil as it melts.

The oil may be supplied for discharge Vupon the ends of these cans through a pipe t, which pipe has a series of holes in its upper side adapted to discharge a spray of oil into the cans. The cans may be moved through the chute by any suitable means, as for instance, by an endless eonveyer G, having disk-like plates secured thereto and passing over wheels 6l at each end. The tank 3 and its contents may be heated by any suitable means. I have illustrated a furnace 5 beneath the same, although steam pipes may be employed whenever desired.

The oil may be drawn from the tank 3 and discharged to the pipe 7 by means of a pump, as 8, which discharges through a pipe 8O to a header 70, which header connects as many of the spray pipesl 7 as may be employed.

In this manner a number of jets of the heated oils are discharged against the exposed endsurfaee of the mass contained in the containers 4. This rapidly melts the oil, and as the cans are first placed in position such that they would drain by gravity, they g v I 1,350,599

through pipes to any point desired.

I have found that, this method of treating the oil for melting it, secures a much more rapid melting of the oil than can he secured by any other plan. It therefore reduces very materially the cost of the apparatus for melting the oil, reduces the space required for the saine, and the time for doing the Work.

What I claiml as my invention is:

The process of removing solid and semisolid oils i"'roi'n"`cans"\vhich consists in irst opening the cansand vplacing them in position to drain by gravity, and then discharging melted portions of the saine oil into the open ends of the cans.

bigned at Seattle', vWashington, this 24th day of October, 1918.

WALTER B. FGGH. 

